Dutchess Legislature to vote on county's 2013 budget today

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. -- Dutchess County legislators are to vote today on a $408.3 million spending plan for 2013 that decreases spending but increases the amount to be raised by property taxes.

The plan is identical to the one proposed by County Executive Marc Molinaro in November.

Spending under the plan would decrease by 0.6 percent from the 2012 level of $411 million. The tax levy -- the amount to be raised by property taxes -- would increase by 2.1 percent, to $105.9 million, from a 2012 level $103.8 million. The tax levy could have risen by 2.3 percent and remained under the state cap.

The increased property tax levy translates into a 6.1 percent increase in the countywide tax rate, but town-by-town rate changes will vary.

The plan calls for eliminating 103 county jobs, including 56 through employee buyouts. The budget also calls for the reinstatement of the county's 0.5 percent mortgage recording tax, effective July 1; a draw-down of $5.2 million from the county's fund balance to offset spending; and a $2 million reduction in the county subsidy to its Resource Recovery Agency.

Members of the county Legislature's Budget and Finance Committee last month adopted the spending plan as proposed by the executive.

"The main ticket items I'm very pleased with," said Borchet, R-LaGrange. "We're cutting spending. ... We're becoming slimmer and trimmer, but I think our services are still being maintained."

Borchet said committee members didn't propose any changes to Molinaro's plan because lawmakers worked closely with him on its development. Legislators, though, can introduce amendments for consideration today, he said.

The Legislature will meet at 7 p.m. in the Dutchess County Office Building, 22 Market St., Poughkeepsie. The Freeman will live tweet the proceedings, and a livestream of the meeting can be viewed at dailyfreeman.com.